10 Things You Should Know About Social Media

Being an avid reader of Inc.com, I was excited to stumble across this link. Titled "10 Things You Should Know About Social Media," the article outlines some practices and tools to keep in mind as a marketing team approaches social brand development. They coincide well with concepts being taught in class and are practical and easy to implement. Without further ado, here is the list.

1. All social media are not the same. LinkedIn should be treated differently than Facebook, which is different from Twitter, which is different from Google+.
I've noticed that some brands and types of products lend themselves more towards certain platforms. Image-centric products (clothing lines, interior decorating services) tend to fare better when their focuses are placed on Facebook and Instagram. News sources, blogs, and brands tied to a public figure tend to be more successful on Twitter, where sharing links or quotes takes one click. 

2. It takes time and frequency to build trust in any social media, just as in any relationship. Social media is a tool, not a destination.
This is great to keep in mind. Social media users do not create accounts so that companies can market to them. Many companies forget this and see social media as a way to sell, sell, sell, and be more in-your-face -- rather than establish themselves as a solid brand with a strong reputation through consistent, nonobtrusive content.

3. Use all of your communities as a Business Development tool to source highly targeted potential clients/customers.
One of the great aspects of social media is that certain markets use platforms differently, but consistently/predictably. Blogging is a great way to reach customers in a market who will be more likely to purchase a product when educated about its benefits (health foods, electronics). Instagram is a good platform for users who enjoy the aesthetics of certain products (coffee, fashion). 

4. Use LinkedIn to establish Thought Leadership through the growth of a community of highly passionate and engaged people. You can even write a blog that is linked into Facebook, Twitter & Google+
I am personally not familiar with the individual features of LinkedIn; I currently only use it as a reference and resume. However, it seems to be a great tool that can be used to bring professionals that share certain lifestyle elements (busy moms, graduate students) together. 

5. You should join groups in all of your social networks. There are also some terrific resources out there for free. You can freely subscribe to any of mine.www.socialmediamags.com
As part of my marketing internship, I co-run a group that is specific to our Atlanta market. It gives us the ability to spend that small extra amount of time to target our local market without losing sight of the bigger picture. Groups are a great way to hone in on one subset of your target audience, as well as remind them that you are a dedicated member of the community (and not just a walking advertisement).

6. Your posts will and should reflect the personality of your company. If you are not genuine, you won't last very long. Anyone who says otherwise is just trying to sell you something.
People respond to sincerity. Many brands hesitate to sound this way, worrying it may tarnish their image. However, I have personally noticed the strength of a brand that chooses a more personalized approach. It reminds your audience that you are a person and that they can be real with you. 

7. It is okay for your customers to disagree with you on Twitter. That's why they call it "social" media and not "one kind" media. Best practice: Have a policy for how you deal with negative comments and reach out to those who support you. They are your brand ambassadors! This is true for all of your communities,not just Twitter.
Bad publicity can be tough to combat, and in my opinion, deleting, hiding, or ignoring negative comments is the worst approach. It is extremely frustrating to take my time to voice a complaint to a company only to have them take absolutely no action. I am a reasonable person who is almost always willing to work with a company -- if they take the time to correct their wrongdoings. If they pretend that my comments simply don't exist, I am likely to develop a strong negative mental association with the brand. I think it's safe to assume that most people are the same way.

8. If you choose to schedule your Tweets, timing is everything. The life of a Tweet is about one hour; schedule several times throughout the day. Make your presence consistent and meaningful. Hootsuite might make that easier. Follow suit in your other communities.
I cannot stress the importance of Twitter timing. There is also typically an unspoken limit of how many times a company can tweet in one day without coming across as annoying. It's best to be cautious; however, if a brand is known for sharing quality content multiple times throughout the day, it is probably safe to continue to do so. 

9. Make sure you are listening to communities on Twitter and any community you participate in! Make no mistake; consumers are in charge now more than ever. Pay attention to what they say. Some of the best product ideas, feedback and problems will come to you from your Twitter communities.
Listen, listen, listen! The great thing about social media and wide usership is that there is potential for a lot of feedback - positive or negative. Never before has it been so easy for a customer to voice their thoughts or for a company to hear what customers are saying. Take advantage of this. 

10. Use all your communities to cultivate business leads.
The goal, at the end of the day, is to sell a product. It's easy to get off track, and it's also easy to want to talk nothing but purchase, purchase, purchase. The idea behind social media marketing is to leverage it in a way that provides quality content related to your product or brand, but in a way that drives consumers to pay attention and have the desire to purchase your product.